Paris - French bomb experts on Thursday night found and defused three bombs in the country's south-western Basque region, reports said Friday.

About 1,000 people were evacuated, France Info radio reported.

The bombs were discovered in the wake of repeated bomb threats by an unknown group.

One of the explosive devices was found on a high-speed train rail line near Bayonne.

The other two were found at the tourist resort of Arcangues, south of Bayonne.

Authorities had also received threats of bombs at a casino in Biarritz, a luxury hotel and holiday resort.

No explosives were found there, however.

It was not immediately known who had planned the attack. Police said the explosives used were home-made and not particularly powerful.

Late last month, French police arrested two members of the Basque separatist group ETA in Bordeaux. The group's campaign for a sovereign Basque state on either side of the Spanish-French border includes bomb attacks. (dpa)